How Ancient Roman fountains worked

During the anicent roman times, they did not have motors to pump water throughout the city of Rome. The Romans recieved all their water through a system called aqueducts, that used graviety to help pump the water to fountains in the city. Fountains were not only used for decorative purposes, but for functional purposes around the city too. The towns people would bring their buckets to the fountains for the water they needed.

external image rome3.jpg

Once the water traveled through the aqueducts, the water would either be stored in cisterns(acts like water towers we use today), or it would be pushed through the fountains throughout Rome. The cisterns would provide the height needed to allow pressure to push up the water for the fountains to spray.



external image 3_Roman_Aqueducts0002.sized.jpg